The Beth Lists
  • Homepage
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Diverse Dining List
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Happy List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!



​55 Strangers

#71 Firewood Man in Eminence, MO

6/26/2015

2 Comments

 

A Cafe Encounter
​

​I met Pete while having lunch in a small town diner, last October. That's not unusual, because my husband and I meet lots of folks in diners when we travel.  ​
Picture
But this encounter had so many connections to the past.

​
​Back to Eminence
​

This visit (2015) to the small Missouri Ozark town, was not my first. In 1977,  I spent quite a bit of time in Eminence, along with some college classmates. I met some incredible locals, but I sort of fell for a 79 year old farmer, named Freeman. I was 19 then and we stayed in touch for years. My memories of Freeman led to the creation of this the Stranger Blog! 
Picture


This is the link to the write-up about my buddy, Freeman!

​Freeman:

https://www.thebethlists.com/55-strangers/1-freeman-hughes-a-farmer-in-eminence-missouri


Bob's Cafe in '77
​

I was with fellow students when we entered the cafe 38 years ago. I struck up a conversation with Freeman.
Picture
He was seated at a table, with his coffee-drinking buddies.

​Where's the Cafe?
​

When we drove into town in October of 2015, I was sad to discover that Bob's was no longer a cafe.  
Picture
I so wanted to sit in the saggy vinyl booths and order the blue plate special, which was once $1.25 and strike up a conversation with a local. 

​Ruby's

Ruby's was the only place with an OPEN sign. When we entered at 1:30 the waitress was clearing out the buffet and it took her a long time to decide if it would be okay to order off the menu.  
Picture
As we settled into a corner table, I began to recognize this building.  I remembered this place as a cluttered general store, walls and shelves crammed with everything from chainsaws and canoe paddles, to furs and guns.

​
​Meeting Pete

A man with dark glasses and mustache was sitting nearby, finishing his lunch. He was listening and smiling, when Don asked the waitress what was good. He introduced himself as Pete and answered for the server, "Everything!"  It was clear that Pete had the time to chat. And so did we. 
Picture
I couldn't help but notice Pete's overalls. They reminded me of the worn out pair Freeman wore when I met him. I asked Pete if he was local and then told him about my visit to Eminence in the seventies. 

Freeman
​
​
Of course Pete knew Freeman! In fact, Freeman's son Frank, had been Pete's teacher back in the early sixties. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around this.  
Picture
Pete (in 2015) was nearly the same age as Freeman, when I met him in 1977. How could Pete be young enough to be taught by Freeman's son? Then I remembered that I wasn't a 19-year-old sitting in a cafe... this time. Pete jabbered on, answering my questions about what happened to the cafe and what it was like, living in Eminence now.

​
​Selling Wood
​

Pete didn't seem much different than the small town folk I remember from nearly 40 years ago. He seemed content about his life on that particular day, selling firewood from a big green truck. 
Picture
We finished up and said good-bye. I spotted his truck parked next to the Shannon County Jailhouse. The wood had been sold and only his chair was on the truck bed. "Sometimes I just park the truck beside the road till someone wants to buy some wood." he had told me. 

​Thanks, Pete!
​

You made Eminence feel friendly again. I had felt a little sad when we'd first pulled into town. It all felt like a vague dream. Nothing quite as I'd remembered.
Picture
It was nice to talk to you and have you verify my memories. I'm still scratching my head a bit, though. You told me Freeman's son still lives in town and he would be 87 now! If only we'd had time to track him down. Maybe next time!
​
2 Comments
Paul le page
2/13/2025 05:10:15 pm

When you mentioned bobs blue plate specialit brought back memories. I first went there in 1970. Back then the plate lunch was 90 cents then it went to $1.15. Id always buy my buddies lunch because it was so cheap. Bit so good meat with 3 sides and roll.bottle of soda was 10cents. The average price for that place special was$3.50 any where else in the ozarks. I dont know how bob did it. He was a nice humble man. He actually lived in the hawkins house. Hes been gone for many years. Its still sad to see it gone when you visit emminence. Thanks for sharing

Reply
Beth
2/17/2025 06:16:18 am

Thanks for sharing, Paul!
It's really fun to know that others remember Bob's and have good memories. Wow! I wish I could have experienced the 90-cent special!! $1.25 by the time I visited. It really was a fun and happy place. I don't recall meeting Bob myself. That would have made the memory even more special.
Thanks again!
Beth

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
         FIFTY-FIVE
        STRANGERS

    To celebrate my birthday in April 2012, I decided to reflect on the past with a different kind of list.  I've met a lot of people in my 55 years, but I'm going to stop and remind myself about the strangers I've met.  These are  people I met by accident, not through friends or work.  For some  reason, these  strangers dropped into my life.  Even though we may have only spent a few minutes together, these people have never been forgotten.

    Each week, I'll spotlight  someone I met in the past, who in some small way, made me stop and think.

    MY GOAL: 
    Remember 55 Strangers

    Archives

    September 2024
    April 2016
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Amish Sisters
    Ann Arbor Street Legend
    Australian Professor
    Author/Scientist
    Bear Rescuers
    British Bus Driver
    Broom Woman
    Carnival Man
    Cellist In Utah
    Chinese Grandpa
    Clown In Barcelona
    Colorful Cat Woman
    Concertina Playing Surgeon
    Cowboy On A Plane
    Cowboy Poet
    Cruise Princess
    Curious Airport Couple
    Cusco Kids
    Donut Shop Mom
    Firemen
    Flower People
    French Nanny
    Garage Sale Guy
    Guide Named Pinky
    Hari Krishna Woman
    Haunted Singer
    Hoarding Woman
    Holiday Strangers
    Hopi Flute Maker
    Junkyard Kenny
    Kind Priest
    Laguna Beach Laundry Man
    Library Man
    Man In A House-truck
    Melon Lady
    Merry Maintenance Man
    Mexican Singer
    Missouri Farmer
    Missouri Guardian Angel
    Museum Guard
    Mystery Nun
    Navajo Vendors
    Oklahoma Storyteller
    Ozark Chair Maker
    Patient Policeman
    Pawn Shop Guy
    Pilot
    Porch People
    Resale Shop Lady
    Rescuers On Snowmobiles
    Rodeo Rider/Artist
    Sad Dad At Hotel
    Sailor With Bird
    San Francisco Protester
    Santa
    Shark Fisherman
    Singing Computer Geeks
    Snake Boy
    Survivor Of Hurricane Katrina
    Tahoe Rim Hiker
    Tiny Ranch Owner
    Tipsy Strangers
    Train Travelers
    Wood Cutter

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Homepage
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Diverse Dining List
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Happy List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!